Manulife Becomes First Canadian Insurer to Offer the Galleri® Multi-Cancer Early Detection Test by GRAIL

 Manulife helping Canadians take proactive steps for their health through access to innovative technology

TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Manulife Canada today announced it is the first insurance company in Canada to offer access to GRAIL's Galleri^® multi-cancer early detection test, to eligible life insurance customers, through its innovative Manulife Vitality program.

Manulife has partnered with Medcan, a global leader in proactive health and wellness services and the official Canadian provider of GRAIL's Galleri test. Through this collaboration, eligible Manulife customers will be able to access the test at Medcan's Toronto and Oakville clinics with support from Medcan's clinical team throughout the testing process – including pre-test counselling, results review, and next-step coordination.  

This milestone advances Manulife's commitment to helping Canadians live longer, healthier, better lives by expanding access to emerging medical technologies. It also builds on the company's broader collaboration with GRAIL and continues to support the availability of innovative early cancer detection technologies.

"Manulife is proud to be at the forefront of innovation in Canadian insurance. By offering the Galleri test to eligible customers, we're expanding access to cutting-edge health solutions that can potentially improve outcomes through early detection," said Naveed Irshad, President and CEO, Manulife Canada. "Cancer has touched nearly every Canadian in some way. By offering this innovative screening tool, we're giving Canadians a stronger start in the fight -- one rooted in early detection and proactive care."

"We're proud to collaborate with Manulife to introduce this groundbreaking screening test to their customers," said Shaun Francis, Chair and CEO of Medcan. "At Medcan, we offer best-in-class care supported by clinically validated innovations that pave the way for a healthier future. Being the first official provider to bring GRAIL's Galleri test to Canada directly aligns with our mission to empower individuals to take control of their health so they can live well, for life."

Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada, with two in five Canadians expected to be diagnosed with the disease over their lifetime. Early detection is critical – the five-year survival for the most commonly diagnosed cancers exceeds 90 per cent when caught at stage one.[i] Despite advances in treatment, many cancers are still diagnosed at later stages, when options are more limited, and survival rates drop significantly.

Through a single blood draw, the Galleri test can detect more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear. With a clinical program involving more than 385,000 participants, the Galleri test is among the most rigorously studied multi-cancer early detection tests. In October, GRAIL released the initial findings of PATHFINDER 2 – which also includes Canada's largest academic hospital network, University Health Network (UHN). The results showed that adding the Galleri test to recommended screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancers increased cancer detection more than sevenfold.

These benefits build on the foundation provided by Canada's universal public healthcare system, which offers access to essential services, including well-established screening programs for several common cancers such as breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung. These programs play a vital role in early detection and improving outcomes for Canadians.

"This initiative is about looking ahead – exploring how we can responsibly expand access to promising technologies that have the potential to complement Canada's existing screening programs and support earlier detection," said Paul Savage, Head of Individual Insurance, Manulife Canada. "We're focused on how this offering can inform future solutions that empower Canadians to take proactive steps for their health."

The Galleri test will be offered at a reduced cost through the Manulife Vitality Plus program and is available to eligible members aged 50+. The industry-leading Manulife Vitality program is available across life insurance policies, pairing long-term financial protection with a health and wellness platform that rewards healthier choices linked to physical activity, nutrition, mindfulness and more.

This initiative also reflects Manulife's global efforts to explore innovative health solutions. The company's collaboration with GRAIL began in 2022 through its U.S. unit, John Hancock, where the Galleri test is available to eligible life insurance customers and retirement plan participants. The Canadian initiative builds on this foundation, marking an important step in expanding access to services that help customers better understand and make more informed choices about their health.

This collaboration marks an important step in expanding access to innovative health technologies for Manulife customers. To learn more about Manulife Vitality, visit Manulife.ca/Vitality. 

About Manulife  

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

About Medcan

Medcan is a global leader in proactive health and wellness services and is devoted to providing care for individuals, families and employers that is grounded in the latest evidence-based practices, technologies and treatments. Our team of medical experts unites to provide transformational specialty and primary care to achieve more for you and your health.

Located in downtown Toronto (150 York St.), Oakville (2275 Upper Middle Rd.), Collingwood (40 Huron St.), and Muskoka (seasonal – 84 Joseph St.) Medcan is here to give you more control over your health and to help you live well, for life. Learn more at medcan.com.

Media Contacts:

Manulife
Laura Crochetiere
Manulife Canada
[email protected]  

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i Statistics Canada. Five-year cancer survival by stage at diagnosis in Canada. Health Reports, January 18, 2023.

Galleri is a registered trademark of Grail, Inc.

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation